All the
action as Kim Clijsters beats Patty Schnyder in the
semi-finals of the Australian Open.
Final score: Clijsters 6-2 7-6 Schnyder
First set
Clijsters 1-0 Schnyder
Clijsters only confirmed she would play the match an hour
before play was due to start as she continues to struggle
with an ankle injury, but the Belgian races through her
opening service game to love.
Clijsters 1-1 Schnyder
Clijsters opens with two huge basline winners but Schnyder
stays in touch with a neat volley and goes on to level.
Clijsters 2-1 Schnyder
Clijsters looks fired up and lets out a yell of delight as
she holds serve.
Clijsters 2-2 Schnyder
Schnyder looks relaxed and moves Clijsters out wide with
some swinging left-handed serves as she levels.
Clijsters 3-2 Schnyder
Clijsters is dictating the rallies but is not able to
completely dominate as there are too many unforced errors,
although Schnyder cannot capitalise.
Clijsters 4-2 Schnyder
Two superb forehand winners down the line take Schnyder to
40-30 but Clijsters then produces two magical backhand
return winners, and a doulle fault hands her the break.
Clijsters 5-2 Schnyder
Suddenly Clijsters is running away with the match,
storming through her service game to love as Schnyder is
sent scurrying around the baseline.
Clijsters 6-2 Schnyder
Clijsters wraps up the first set in just 22 minutes as she
secures another break, and she looks too powerful for
Schnyder at the moment.
Second set
Clijsters 1-0 Schnyder
Schnyder is unable to make any impression on the Clijsters
serve and the match is slipping away fast from the Swiss.
Clijsters 1-1 Schnyder
Schnyder stops the rot with a less than convincing service
game but she continues to look a little downhearted.
Clijsters 2-1 Schnyder
Clijsters moves back in front with another confident game
as boyfriend Lleyton Hewitt looks on approvingly.
Clijsters 3-1 Schnyder
The first sign of frustration comes from Schnyder, who
smashes her racket on the ground when she drops 15-40
behind, and Clijsters takes advantage with a backhand
winner to break.
Clijsters 3-2 Schnyder
Clijsters fearlessly puts away a drive volley at
break-point down but then comes up with a desperate double
fault to give the game away, raising fears that her injury
may be troubling her on serve.
Clijsters 3-3 Schnyder
Schnyder is back on level terms as she fires one
breathtaking forehand winner and Clijsters is starting to
look a little frustrated.
Clijsters 3-4 Schnyder
Clijsters is struggling with her serve and trying to win
the points with big second shots, but Schnyder is too
strong and claims her second successive break.
Clijsters 3-5 Schnyder
The match has completely turned around and Schnyder races
through her service game, with Clijsters looking very out
of sorts.
Clijsters 4-5 Schnyder
A relieved Clijsters keeps the set alive with a better
service game but the trainer is called at the changeover -
surprisingly for an ankle injury to Schnyder.
Clijsters 5-5 Schnyder
The pressure of serving to level the match proves too much
for Schnyder who drops the game to 15 as Clijsters lets
rip on the return.
Clijsters 6-5 Schnyder
Clijsters goes back in front by holding to 30 although she
still looks far from comfortable.
Clijsters 6-6 Schnyder
Victory looks on the cards for Clijsters at 30-30 but
Schnyder does well to keep the Belgian moving behind the
baseline and hangs on to force the tie-break.
Clijsters 7-6 Schnyder
Clijsters dominates the tie-break after an early double
fault from Schnyder and races through 7-2 to set up a
final against Justine Henin-Hardenne. |
Singles
1R beat
Angelique Widjaja 6-3
5-7 6-3
2R beat Marion
Bartoli 6-4 2-6
6-3
3R beat Paola
Suarez 7-5 6-3
4R beat Nathalie
Dechy 6-2 6-4
QF beat Lisa
Raymond 7-6 6-3
SF lost Kim
Clijsters 2-6 6-7
Doubles with Schett
1R beat Harkleroad/Cargill 6-3 7-6
2R lost Ani/Prusova 3-6 2-6
Photos
Gallery 1
Gallery 2
Gallery 3
Articles
Settled Schnyder thrilled at semi
spot
Clijsters advances to all-Belgian
final
Interviews
26/1/2004 vs Dechy
28/1/2004
vs Raymond
29/1/2004
vs Clijsters |
